A 90-year-old from Lymington has been made a winner of the BBC’s Unsung Hero award for ‘inspiring generations of young sailors’ for four decades.

Jean Paton, 90, Jean is one of the most dedicated volunteers of Salterns Sailing Club in Lymington, where she has contributed for nearly 40 years. 

She has now picked up her award on stage at the BBC's Sports Personality of the Year awards 2024.

As a Royal Yachting Association dinghy instructor, Jean has been hailed as a cornerstone of the club’s twice-yearly ‘Moppy Camps,’ inspiring generations of young sailors.

She has trained more than 800 young sailors.

Speaking to the BBC she said: "It was a lot of people about, I've done a tiny bit of public speaking but not quite so many," she said.

"It's just a total surprise, it's so kind of Salterns to propose me, they're such a lovely bunch of kids."

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Moppy Camps are intensive training courses where children can work towards the Salterns Pennants awards.

Jean’s warmth and dedication has created a nurturing environment at the Salterns Sailing Club, making sailing accessible and enjoyable for hundreds of local children and building their sailing confidence.

The BBC reported that Team GB Olympian Hannah Snellgrove learned to sail at Salterns.

She said Jean is "formidable". She added: "You wouldn't argue with her - because she's always right - and she's just the most fun, amazing person."

There are 15 winners of 2024 Unsung Hero award from across the UK – the Unsung Hero awards for part of the BBC Sports Personality of the Year awards.

Jean's granddaughter Alex told the BBC she was proud of her grandmother and added: "That was amazing. I wasn't expecting that I thought I'd be ushered off but that was really cool, so many famous people on the stage tonight and Granny was one of them."

Son Rory added: "Her eyes are really sparkly it's lovely, just amazing. She's just a force of nature.

"Not a dry eye in the house from where I was sat."